David Douglas' Wayne Snoderly inducted into National Wrestling Hall of Fame

A little over a week before he was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Wayne Snoderly’s acceptance speech remained unwritten.

“I’ve run across it in my mind, but I haven’t wrote it down yet,” Snoderly said of his speech. “(Being inducted) is not something I had planned. I just wanted to work with kids. It was a fortunate thing for me.”

The retired David Douglas wrestling coach was inducted into the hall of fame Saturday, May 3. His career spanned over four decades. Snoderly coached baseball, football, and wrestling throughout his early career before settling in as a coach of David Douglas’ freshman wrestling team in 1991. Snoderly became the program’s top coach in 1993, holding that position until 2007. After two years away from the program, Snoderly returned as the Scots’ freshman coach in 2009, working as a JV football coach in 2010, too. He retired from coaching December 31, 2013.

Snoderly was a three-sport athlete growing up. Even though he had a very successful wrestling career, garnering a high school state title in the 191-pound class in 1974, and being crowned the NJCAA Oregon state champion in 1977 for Clackamas Community College, he says his first true love is baseball.

“When I was a junior in high school, the varsity baseball coach was trying to convince me that wrestling wouldn’t be good for my arm—the muscles used in baseball are different,” Snoderly said.

However, wrestling coach Delance Duncan encouraged Snoderly to wrestle, meeting him in classrooms and talking to him as often as possible.

“To be honest, I had such a great experience from the other coaches I had when I was a kid, especially coach Duncan,” Snoderly said. “It made me want to pass on the experience I had when I was a kid. I enjoyed it, and I thought I could be decent.“

With Snoderly retired, David Douglas High School loses a mentor, role model and perhaps its best wrestling recruiter. When Snoderly retired in December, a season after David Douglas had wrestled its way to a state title, it signaled a change for the program. Snoderly’s goal was to get as many kids out for wrestling as possible. In his absence, David Douglas saw a decline in wrestling turnout this season and finished fifth at the 6A state tournament.

“It’s like most sports you’re going to have your ups and downs,” Snoderly said of David Douglas’ 2014 campaign. “You’re going to get athletes and non-athletes. It’s kind of a rollercoaster. I think they hit a high with the numbers and athletes they had out (in season’s past). It dropped out just a little bit this year. Some of those kids graduated.”

During his time with the Scots, Snoderly also worked as a security guard on school grounds for 25 years. It was his job to make sure students behaved; it was his passion to -- like coach Duncan did with him – talk to as many kids as possible, convincing them to wrestle.

“I was in a fortunate position because I could see more kids,” Snoderly said. “It’s going to be hard to have that same impact because of the freedom.”

Snoderly sees the state of the program in good hands, and believes the Scots will “be fine.”

In his retirement, Snoderly works part-time at a floral store in Battle Ground, Washington, and is passionate about dog jumping.

• Football – High School1971 MVP Freshman Football – DDHS1972 Starter on Varsity team 1973 2nd Team all league1974 1st Team all league Running back1974 Honorable Mention, All State1974 Shriner All Star Game – Alternate

• Football – College1975 Played at Clackamas Community College, retired due to injury

• Football – Semi-Pro1978 – 1979 played with the Van-Port Thunderbirds

• Baseball – High School1972-1975 Played at DDHS and Wilson HS1974 2nd Team all League1974 2nd Team all State1975 1st Team all League • Baseball - College 1976-1977 Played at Clackamas Community College 1979 played at Linfield College